'Govt has snatched people's right to live': Shahbaz lashes out at PTI in NA

• Government wants to leave the country "on the path to destruction", Shahbaz says.
• "Every child in the country is bearing witness to worst government in last 74 years."
• "It startles us when the government compares itself with Riyasat e Madinah."

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif said Monday the PTI-led government has snatched people's right to live, as he lashed out at it over rising inflation.

The Opposition leader, addressing the floor of the National Assembly, said: "Every child in the country is bearing witness to the worst government in the last 74 years."

He further criticised the PTI-led government's economic policies and said that there is no comparison between PTI's governance and Riyasat e Madinah.

"[As against present-day Pakistan] under PTI's rule, no one ever slept hungry in Riyasat e Madinah, exemplary justice prevailed there, and everyone was given their due rights," said Shahbaz.

"It startles us when the government compares itself with Riyasat e Madinah," he said while criticising the government's economic policies.

Lashing out at the government for inflation, he said the electricity rate had been hiked up Rs1.5 per unit, while the price of petroleum products had also increased.

Shahbaz said the price of ghee had been increased by Rs49 and cooking oil Rs110, as he lamented that "what could be crueller than depriving the poor of food".

The Opposition leader asked the government that how could a person who earns Rs20,000 a month afford electricity bills worth Rs10,000, as he claimed that such a situation had not arisen since Pakistan's inception.

"To fulfil the IMF's (International Monetary Fund) conditions they took every measure [...] but despite that, I have heard reports that IMF is still not satisfied and is trying to impose further conditions."

The Opposition leader asked whether there would be a stop to this "destruction or not", as he said that the incumbent government wants to leave the country "on the path to destruction".

Shahbaz reminded Prime Minister Imran Khan that he had, before coming into power, said that if the rupee's value falls against the dollar, then the prime minister is a thief.

"If the price of medicines has risen by 100%, then what should we call this government [...] If the US dollar gains 40% against rupee then what should we call this government?" he asked.

"Imported inflation is leading to starvation and suicide [...] The country's crops might be affected due to bad weather conditions, but Pakistan usually has wheat and other commodities in abundance," he said.

The Opposition leader added that there were reports of the government importing millions of tonnes of sugar, while the people were forced to line up for purchasing the commodity.

"This government has also deprived the people of wheat," he added.